CHAPTERVI

chaptervi

iremember,asthoughitwereyesterdayinvividnessandahundredyearsagointime,thebombardmentwhichprecededthebattlesofthesomme.withagroupofofficersistoodonthehighgroundabovealbert,lookingovertogommecourtandthiepvalandlaboisselle,ontheleftsideofthegermansalient,andthen,bycrossingtheroad,tofricourt,mametz,andmontaubanonthesouthernside.fromalbertwestwardpastthiepvalwoodranthelittleriveroftheancre,andonthegermansidethegroundrosesteeplytousnahillbylaboisselle,andtothiepvalchateauabovethewood.itwasaformidabledefensiveposition,onefortressgirdledbylineafterlineoftrenches,andearthworkredoubts,anddeeptunnels,anddugoutsinwhichthegermantroopscouldlivebelowgrounduntilthemomentofattack.thelengthofourfrontofassaultwasabouttwentymilesroundthesideofthesalienttothevillageofbray,onthesomme,wherethefrenchjoinedusandcontinuedthebattle.

fromwherewestoodwecouldseeawidepanoramaofthegermanpositions,andbeyond,nowandthen,whenthesmokeofshellfiredrifted,icaughtglimpsesofgreenfieldsandflowerpatchesbeyondthetrenchlines,andchurchspiresbeyondtherangeofgunsrisingaboveclumpsoftreesinsummerfoliage.immediatelybelow,intheforeground,wasthevillageofalbert,notmuchruinedthen,withitsred-brickchurchandtowerfromwhichtherehung,headdownward,thegoldenvirginwithherbabeoutstretchedasthoughasapeace-offeringoverallthisstrife.thatleaningstatue,whichihadoftenpassedonthewaytothetrenches,wasnowrevealedbrightlywithagoldenglamour,assheetsofflameburstthroughaheavyveilofsmokeoverthevalley.inafieldclosebysometroopswerebeingticketedwithyellowlabelsfastenedtotheirbacks.itwastodistinguishthemsothatartilleryobserversmightknowthemfromtheenemywhentheirturncametogointothebattleground.somethinginthesightofthoseyellowticketsmademefeelsick.awaybehind,afrenchfarmerwascuttinghisgrasswithalongscythe,insteady,sweepingstrokes.onlynowandthendidhestandtolookoveratthemostfrightfulpictureofbattleeverseenuntilthenbyhumaneyes.iwondered,andwonderstill,whatthoughtswerepassingthroughthatoldbraintokeephimathiswork,quietly,steadily,ontheedgeofhell.forthere,quitecloseandclear,washell,ofman'smaking,producedbychemistsandscientists,aftercenturiesinsearchofknowledge.therewerethefiresofhate,producedoutofthepassionofhumanityafterathousandyearsofchristendomandofprogressintheartsofbeauty.therewasthedevil-worshipofourpoor,damnedhumanrace,wherethemostcivilizednationsoftheworldwereoneachsideofthebonfires.itwasworthwatchingbyahumanant.

irememberthenoiseofourgunsasallourbatteriestooktheirpartsinavastorchestraofdrumfire.thetumultofthefieldgunsmergedintothunderouswaves.behindmeafifteen-inch“grandmother”firedsinglestrokes,andeachonewasanenormousshock.shellswererushingthroughtheairlikedrovesofgiantbirdswithbeatingwingsandwithstrangewailings.thegermanlineswereineruption.theirearthworkswerebeingtossedup,andfountainsofearthsprangupbetweencolumnsofsmoke,blackcolumnsandwhite,whichstoodrigidforafewsecondsandthensankintothebanksoffog.flamesgushedupredandangry,rendingthosebanksofmistwithstrokesoflightning.intheirlightisawtreesfalling,branchestossedliketwigs,blackthingshurtlingthroughspace.inthenightbeforethebattle,whenthatbombardmenthadlastedseveraldaysandnights,thefurywasintensified.redflamesdartedhitherandthitherlikelittlereddevilsasourtrenchmortarsgottowork.abovetheingofthegunstherewerelouder,earth-shakingnoises,andvolcanoesofearthandfirespoutedashighastheclouds.oneconvulsionofthiskindhappenedaboveusnahill,withalong,terrifyingroarandamonstrousgushofflame.

“whatisthat?”askedsomeone.

“itmustbetheminewechargedatlaboisselle.theestthathaseverbeen.”

itwasagoodguess.when,laterinthebattle,istoodbythecraterofthatmineandlookedintoitsgulfiwonderedhowmanygermanshadbeenhurledintoeternitywhentheearthhadopened.thegravewasbigenoughforabattalionofmenwithhorsesandwagons,belowthechalkofthecrater'slips.oftenonthewaytobapaumeisteppedofftheroadtolookintothatwhitegulf,rememberingthemomentwhenisawthegustofflamethatrenttheearthaboutit.